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<p>[QUOTE="Valentinian, post: 5601277, member: 44316"]The island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean Sea hosted a Byzantine mint (probably at the city of Constantina) for three years under emperor Heraclius, 610-641. All the coins are dated years 17, 18, or 19. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1241935[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>30-21 mm. 4.72 grams. Remarkably large for the type.</p><p>Heraclius</p><p>Three standing figures facing, each holding a long cross. Heraclius (in the middle), Heraclius Constantine (his son), and Martina (his wife).</p><p><br /></p><p>Large M, ANNO to left, X<font size="6">u</font>II (for year17 = AD 627/8) to the right</p><p>KYΠPI (for "Cyrpus") in exergue.</p><p>Sear 849.</p><p>Grierson 432-433. </p><p>DOC 2.1 Heraclius 184, plate XVII. </p><p><br /></p><p>The mint is unusual but the type is common. It must have been minted in large numbers. </p><p><br /></p><p>Wikipedia says, "In the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome" rel="nofollow">Roman era</a>, copper was mined principally on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprus" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprus" rel="nofollow">Cyprus</a>, the origin of the name of the metal, from <i>aes сyprium</i> (metal of Cyprus), later corrupted to <i>сuprum</i> (Latin). <i>Coper</i> (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English" rel="nofollow">Old English</a>) and <i>copper</i> were derived from this, the later spelling first used around 1530."</p><p><br /></p><p>That might explain why Heraclius established a mint there (but it does not explain why it was not established earlier or closed so soon). </p><p><br /></p><p>Heraclius was emperor when the Arabs conquered the east coast of the Mediterranean in the 630s, opposite Cyprus. Some "Arab-Byantine" coins imitate this type. Many very similar coins, but smaller and cruder, are found there and may be originals or may be "Arab-Byzantine" imitations. </p><p><br /></p><p>Later the type was imitated with modifictations:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1241945[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>23 mm. 4.35 grams. Mint of Tiberias, struck 660-680, </p><p>Foss <i>Arab-Byzantine Coins</i> 81.</p><p>You can read the name of the city beginning at 10:30 and going counterclockwise:</p><p>THBERIAΔO</p><p><br /></p><p>Show us anything relevant.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Valentinian, post: 5601277, member: 44316"]The island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean Sea hosted a Byzantine mint (probably at the city of Constantina) for three years under emperor Heraclius, 610-641. All the coins are dated years 17, 18, or 19. [ATTACH=full]1241935[/ATTACH] 30-21 mm. 4.72 grams. Remarkably large for the type. Heraclius Three standing figures facing, each holding a long cross. Heraclius (in the middle), Heraclius Constantine (his son), and Martina (his wife). Large M, ANNO to left, X[SIZE=6]u[/SIZE]II (for year17 = AD 627/8) to the right KYΠPI (for "Cyrpus") in exergue. Sear 849. Grierson 432-433. DOC 2.1 Heraclius 184, plate XVII. The mint is unusual but the type is common. It must have been minted in large numbers. Wikipedia says, "In the [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome']Roman era[/URL], copper was mined principally on [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprus']Cyprus[/URL], the origin of the name of the metal, from [I]aes сyprium[/I] (metal of Cyprus), later corrupted to [I]сuprum[/I] (Latin). [I]Coper[/I] ([URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English']Old English[/URL]) and [I]copper[/I] were derived from this, the later spelling first used around 1530." That might explain why Heraclius established a mint there (but it does not explain why it was not established earlier or closed so soon). Heraclius was emperor when the Arabs conquered the east coast of the Mediterranean in the 630s, opposite Cyprus. Some "Arab-Byantine" coins imitate this type. Many very similar coins, but smaller and cruder, are found there and may be originals or may be "Arab-Byzantine" imitations. Later the type was imitated with modifictations: [ATTACH=full]1241945[/ATTACH] 23 mm. 4.35 grams. Mint of Tiberias, struck 660-680, Foss [I]Arab-Byzantine Coins[/I] 81. You can read the name of the city beginning at 10:30 and going counterclockwise: THBERIAΔO Show us anything relevant.[/QUOTE]
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